Extremely high compression on a Husky 240

[M4cr0s]

Hi folks!

Trying to get my dads old 240 working properly again. I believe it's about 12 years old. I hate the saw (it just doesn't feel right), but well, I might learn something from it. Sadly he haven't taken proper care of it it, and it's mostly just been run and rudimentary sharpened for a decade doing low diameter soft wood for firewood. He's run it on 50:1 premix "biofuel" (Aspen and similar) all its life. He did use to take better care of things. It's insanely dirty and have a few issues like a worn-out brake handle (the plastic coupling to the brake band lever thingy in the clutch cover) and a sprocket with Grand Canyons it it. For the record, I'm no mech and just learning as I go by the power of Google, forums and Youtube.

So...
1. Saw starts and runs, kinda surprisingly hard yet manageable to crank. Thinking back, it's been like this for many years, maybe even since new. It runs and revs alright, but cuts like a butter knife through concrete (a poorly sharpened chain and wore out bar is definitely part of the reason).
2. Compression test shows values in the 190-200psi range. Kinda insane comparing to my own saws, Stihls and China-saws all doing 140-150ish or somewhat less. However those are slightly larger in cylinder volume and throws big ass chips even with my shaky hand-sharpening.
3. Easy to crank w/o the plug. No evidence of a leaking carb as in fuel blowing out the plug hole (carb still feels "stiff" and not really responding properly to adjustments).
4. Top of piston is brown-grayish but looks otherwise smooth through the openings, can't see what I would call carbon buildups, but I haven't broken the saw completely down so what the eff do I know.

I do know I have to change the brake handle and sprocket as they are worn to pieces and I suspect changing the carb won't be such a bad idea either, so I got those on order. Just hoping there's not something deeper wrong, because then I'm surely beyond my meager knowledge.

Anyhooo, what could explain such high compression?

 

[Wood Doctor]

Here I am staring at a Husky 40 that I just serviced. It runs perfectly, vintage 1997, and has to be 8 years older than your 240. The owner burned out the clutch sprocket, so I replaced it, and it loves that. I say that you should leave most of your 240 alone but clean it up really good all over with mixed fuel, a toothbrush, and a rag. Mount a good sharp chain and run with it. Worst thing you can do is force it to cut with a dull chain, a worn-out sprocket, and then watch the bar get blazing hot.

Not sure why you ordered a new carb if it starts and runs OK. Just MHO. Good luck!

 

[Huskybill]

What 240? Very old like my three 240S? These were great saws in there day. The 240SE/SG is soon after the 266’s arrived well within a few years. Noting was a great time for Husqvarna the saws were still all metal.

A 1997? There younger puppies. My 240sg I purchased in 1979/1980ish. I’m old school dogs.

 

[burnses]

not sure if it apples to the 240 but a 266 can crack at the starter pulley hub and make it real hard to pull start feels just like massive compression but pulls fine with plug out. Thing is the pulley splits in the groove at the the boss and opens up when ya pull and the rope tries to double over\bind when ya pull ck it out could be your problem

good luck

 

[TBS]

What 240? Very old like my three 240S? These were great saws in there day. The 240SE/SG is soon after the 266’s arrived well within a few years. Noting was a great time for Husqvarna the saws were still all metal.

A 1997? There younger puppies. My 240sg I purchased in 1979/1980ish. I’m old school dogs.

Same cc but a much different saw that's a clam shell strato charged all plastic orange poulan.